Great shift on 6 out of 9 smallest cogs. Just doesn't want to know about the big 3. Everything is new and triple checked by mechanics as i thought i was going mad, but no, it simply doesn't work across the block. I can have the top 3 working perfectly or the bottom 6 which is obviously unacceptable.

The more people i've asked the more the reply has been a spacing issue with the cassette. This seems the likely answer but doesn't seem possible from Sram. This is my first ever cassette but i've only used their stuff since Xray and had no problems.

I will return it and get an XT or XTR as they have always shifted perfectly.

I may have been unlucky but it's a weeeknd without the bike and the sun is shining.

Only buy if you get a decent return option. Otherwise stick with Shimano

0 miles ridden. I purchased this with a new XT r. derailer. i spent a total of two hours trying to get the derailer to shift correctly, then my riding buddy spent another two hours trying. Finally he says he's thinks it might be the fault of the cassette and pulls out a new XT he had sitting around. Five minutes later the thing is shifting better than ever.After inspecting the too side by side we concluded that the problem had to do with the spacing of the three smallest cogs on the Sram(the chain would skip cog #2, an indexing problem). Maybe a brand new chain would have made it easier but the one I have is less than two hundred miles, but might have enough wear from being on a shimano cassette previosly to not math up with the Sram.Save your money and frustration go with a proven winner the Simano XT. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

I'm hoping the bent cog is a fluke but I went with this cassette to avoid that exact reported problem with the XTR. But it might be a manufacturing defect after reading the other reviews on this site. Outside of the bent cog, the cassette is great.

The cassette performed and shifted cleanly in all but muddy conditions. I'm using the SRAM PC-99 chain which, in my opinion, is the best chain on the market and I think that makes a big difference in shifting (I've broke my fair share of hyperglides).

I have sent the old cassette back to SRAM but haven't found out yet if they will replace it. In the meantime, I spent the extra $23 on an XTR cassette and will have to deal with the extra maintenance.

I've had good experience with the XTR cassette, but if you're looking to save some bucks, go with an XT for about $10 cheaper than the 9.0 until SRAM addresses the problem with the outer 34 tooth cog.

This products sucks. After several months, two cogs bent, and a tooth broke off. It doesnt fit shimano hubs with out a special 8 speed spacer. From personal experience, I would avoid all Sram products other than their shifters. Only shimano has managed to make durable cogsets.

Chain slips dangerously when using power on the two biggest cock wheels. Impossible for me to go steep uphills. I had to replace the brand new item after a few weeks. I'm 180 pounds - light riders possibly won't have these problems.

Yet again Sram produces a good that is better than Shimano at a lower price. After great success with sram chains (break Shimano - never broken sram) I thought id give this a try. Its cheap, light, looks wicked and with a sram chain shifts better than shimano whether it be wet or dry. Top Stuff - worth buying.

Strengths: Good priced value.Nice shifting, even under load.Handles sloppy, muddy conditions well.More resistant to chain skipping with a worn, stretched chain than XT.Stays cleaner that XT.

Weaknesses: Not readily available. Pricey in some shops who prefer Shimano supplier (or who charge full retail).

Bottom Line:

Great cassette. Can't complain. After one year, I have to say it works better than my XT cassette and XT deraileur on my other bike. With me, I found it works best with an SRAM deraileur and chain.I usually wear out the cassette after one year of hard riding, and 2 chains later. After one year, my SRAM 9.0 cassette is still working fine with no chain skip! Lately, it is starting to sound a little rough, but has outlived my previous XT cassette.Worth a purchase.

Submitted by
Tim Reid
a Cross Country Rider
from Gananoque, Ont, Canada

Date Reviewed: October 6, 2001

Strengths: Strong, Light, Cool Design, Cool Looks.

Weaknesses: Skips if you get any leaves or grass in it, even the slightest bit, and I find the 28 tooth skips under extreme force.

Bottom Line:

Sram 9.0 cassette is definately one of nicest cassettes I'v used, its lighter then xtr and probly just as strong, I find if you get any leaves in the teeth it performs poorly even its just on 1 or 2 teeth. its shifts well even better then shimano in my opinion. I don't know why the 28t skips on mine, it only does it when I need it most which is a pain. I thought having the sram chain and deraileur would work awesome. maybe its just 9 speed, 8 speed never failed once, I set it up and rode, never touched it, now with 9 speed i have to set up my shifting after ever single ride.

Strengths: Shifts really well (this is the 7.0 11-34 not 9.0 - I think the only difference is the composite lock ring)

Weaknesses: It broke like the guy's below. I hate when equipment brakes for "no" reason. Same thing as the other guy - I was pulling a wheelie up onto a rock when about 20%-25% of the second largest ring broke loose. Unreal. Never happened with Shimano. They said they would warranty it but it ruins a ride...makes for a long walk out and takes time to get the warrantied product...end result is I lose riding time. They shouldn't break when there are no impacts.

Bottom Line:

Tough call. Possibly a fluke. It works well but I only had about 5 rides on it when it broke. I'll be nice and give it 3 chillis and may update if the new one holds up any better.

The 34 on the 11-34 cassette broke as I was trying to wheelie up and over a steep rock. I snapped off around 20-25% of the cog. I'm not the burliest rider (165lbs) and this has not happened before w/ my Shimano cassettes. Warranteed and placed on my hardtail that has been relegated to commuter/road workout duty.

Strengths: Value for money.nice finishing. Works well with Sram 9.0 RD. Gear ratio intervals are well spread from 12 to 28.

Weaknesses: Sligtly heavier than XT.A big jump from 28th teeth to 34th teeth. No gear intervals from 28th to 34th.

Bottom Line:

The only major set back about 9.0 is there is no gear selection between the 28th teeth and the 34th teeth. Whereas the XTR cassette recognises this missing link. Which means, you will either end up with a too heavy gear or too easy gear going up a steep slope. Nothing in between to help you. I couldn't get use to Sram 9.0 especially if you are doing a techical uphill. Had to swap it for a XTR 9 speed after 2 months. Otherwise, it work wonderfully well with the SRAM Rear derailluer.

Weaknesses: i dunno, it made a weird noise one time, but then i actually adjusted my derailur right...

Bottom Line:

this cassette helps shifts very quickly and smoothly. i haven't used it with any non sram stuff, so i don't know about compatibility, but it works really well with the sram stuff i use, definataly better than the lx i was running before, and its cheaper than an xt so its a deal.

I'm no Shimano hater. I've always run their derailleurs and shifters, and their LX and XT cranks are hands down the best crank deals out there. But Sram chains are way better than Shimano's in my experience. I think I'm gonna feel the same way about Sram cassettes. So, if you like Sram chains, you'll like Sram cassettes.

Will have to see if the 9.0 cassettes hold up well, but for now they're the best I've ever tried. They shift better (at least with my Sram chain -- I haven't tried them with Shimano chains) than any XT or LX cassette I've had. I should note that the Shimano cassettes don't seem to shift any better with Shimano chains instead of Sram.

They feel light and, though I haven't weighed them yet, I can believe the claimed weight of 270 grams. Shimano claims 245 grams for the XT, but it seems that the actual weights are more like 270-290 grams.